The basic structure of an electric power system includes various hardware elements such as generators, transformers, power lines, and real-time monitoring equipment. Certain software enables monitoring and control of the electric power systems with computer systems. The software can include power flow analysis software, fault detection software, and restoration software for generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity.
A frequently occurring situation in an electric power system is the need to transmit more power over the system than it was originally designed for. In cases where there is a need to transmit more power, and building new transmission lines is prohibitive due to cost, right-of-way, or environmental constraints, increased utilization of existing transmission lines and equipment is desirable.
Furthermore, with increased distributed generation, the integration of distributed generators into existing power systems presents technical challenges such as voltage regulation, stability, power quality problems. Typically, electrical power systems are monitored and controlled to provide continuous and reliable service; however, power systems outages can still occur and are often associated with voltage instabilities. Voltage collapse in certain areas of a power network can lead to blackouts, which can result in revenue loss for both customers and the utilities. One cause for voltage collapse can be attributed to lack of reactive power resources in the system, or the improper application thereof. As the grid becomes more complex, network voltage stability becomes even more critical for utilities to provide reliable service.